Perfect's Overrated
by MissingMommy
Summary: Frank attempts to make his proposal perfect, but it doesn't go according to plan. :: FrankAlice, for Lizzie.


For Lizzie. I hope you enjoy.

Frank can barely make it through dinner. He's had these plans in the works for months. There's a ring in his pocket that he plans to use to ask Alice to marry him. But his nerves are definitely getting the better of him.

Frank had asked Marlene and Dorcas to take Alice out for the day as he gets the flat ready for their dinner. Alice had originally protested but with a few well said words from the other girls, she's out the door for shopping.

He covers their tiny table with a red table cloth. He adds two candles in the middle. He sets the table with fine china that he is borrowing from his mother. He's made sure the flat is absolutely spotless and has added a few more floating candles and some rose petals to set the mood. He's even changed into his best clothes for the night.

Dinner is in the oven. It's a simple recipe that his mother showed him how to do. It's something that would be difficult to mess up; Potions never was his forte, after all. He's feels like he's forgetting something when the timer for dinner goes off.

He's plating when Alice comes through the door. She has a few bags in her hands that she places near the door as she shuts it. Her face lights up at the scene. "What's the special occasion?" she asks softly.

He nearly drops the plate of food when he sees her. Even though he saw her this morning, he can't help but think that she gets more beautiful every time. Luckily, he manages to stop the plate from tilting. Even if he hadn't, there is plenty more.

Marlene and Dorcas have outdone themselves. Alice is in a blue dress that comes down to her knees. Her hair is tied back in some sort of elegant twist. She has makeup on for the first time in a while, but Frank thinks that she's just as beautiful without it.

"It's our anniversary," Frank replies, grinning.

Her eyes narrow playfully. "Marlene and Dorcas were in on this, weren't they?"

He places the plate on the table before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her towards himself. He kisses her cheek. "I simply asked for them to get you out of the flat while I set this up. The make over was all on them."

He lets her go and pulls out her chair for her.

"Well it's gorgeous," she compliments. "You went through a lot of trouble for our anniversary."

"It's no trouble at all," he denies. He takes his seat across from her. He pours half a cup wine for both them; Alice's favorite.

Alice spreads the napkin across her lap, picks up her fork, and takes a bite of the food. Frank is about to take a bite when he notices that Alice is choking. His fork drops and he throws the napkin on table to get to Alice.

The next few moments are a blur. He doesn't remember how she stopped choking but she did. However the small victory doesn't last. He glances back to the table to notice that the napkin he tossed on the table in his hurry to get to Alice knocked over candles on the table.

He's fumbling for his wand when Alice manages to douse the table with water. It saves the rest of the flat from the flames, but it doesn't save dinner.

"That bad?" he asks.

She pats his cheek. "It's not that it was bad," she starts. Then she shakes her head. "It really was. You should probably leave the cooking to me. We should go ahead and get some takeout for dinner."

Frank shoulders sag slightly. Alice notices this. "What's wrong?"

"I just wanted tonight to be perfect," he mumbles. "But the food was awful and I set fire to our table, _again_. It wasn't supposed to go like this. I swear."

"It's the thought that counts," Alice assures him. "I thought this was very sweet. And I appreciate you trying. You just probably should leave the actual cooking up to someone else next time."

Frank frowns, standing. He paces back and forth. "Mum told me that it would be better if I did the cooking. She told me that I had to plan every detail. That it had to be perfect. And I've ruined it because cooking is too much like Potions."

Alice stands and places her hands on his upper arms, effectively stopping him from moving. "What are you going on about?"

"Proposing, of course," he exclaims. "Mum said that if I were to ask you to marry me, it would have to be perfect, but I've ruined it."

He doesn't notice how Alice gasps or covers her mouth. He continues on ranting about how he's screwed up. "Frank," she says, "are you asking me to marry you?"

That stops Frank's rant. He furrows his eyebrows for a moment before he throws his hands in the air. "Oh no, you weren't supposed to find out like that," he mumbles, averting his eyes.

"Well," she says, after a long pause, "aren't you going to ask me properly?"

His head snaps up to meet her blue eyes. His hand fumbles with the box that's in his jacket pocket. He drops down to one knee. "Alice, will you marry me?"

She wraps her arms around his neck. "Yes, of course I will."

She pulls back just long enough for him to slip the ring on her finger. She'll admire it later. She pulls him into a long kiss. When they break, she is grinning like mad. "For the record, perfect's overrated."


End file.
